


Night of the Nindroids

by Nindroid



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Drowning, Gen, Strangulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-06 22:09:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nindroid/pseuds/Nindroid
Summary: The Overlord knows Zane is struggling to come to grips with being a nindroid, so he has a proposal. Get rid of the ninjas, and he can transfer Zane into one of their bodies. Based off the Night of the Nindroids comic.





	Night of the Nindroids

**“Zane, you have to stop! Why are you doing this? If someone tampered with your programming, we can help you!”**

**“Help me? You cannot even help yourself.”** The words almost seemed to echo through the construction site, and they were quickly followed up by a loud crash as Zane drove his fist into one of the upright girders, bending it effortlessly and causing the upper level it was supporting to cave down.

Concrete and rebar rained down in huge chunks over the two, and despite Cole’s best efforts to dodge, he was quickly overpowered by the debris and crashed down to the lower floors.

Zane meandered towards the gap in the floor Cole had fallen through, peering down to see him struggle under the weight of the debris. Folding his hands behind his back, the android quickle followed, although this time voluntarily, jumping down to stand across from the other. _Stubborn little bastard._

The earth ninja grunted, fingers curling into the stone as he pushed himself back up. His eyes narrowed, staring daggers at the nindroid before him. It was then he planted his feet, widened his stance, and with all of his might, Cole lunged forward, full sprint, charging the other ninja.

There was a solid second before Cole’s head planned to meet that stupid metal rib cage, but when it finally did, Zane’s footing held firm as his feet froze to the ground. The android almost laughed at the look he got, and immediately took the stunned seconds and tightened his grasp in Cole’s hair, whipping him around so he was face-to-face with a fallen girder that was sticking up from the ground.

Leaning in, Zane braced his other hand to the other side of the girder, his face drawn close to Cole’s. **“I’m sorry, my friend, but you must fall so that I can truly start to live.”**

His hand pulled back. Cole’s hands shot up to claw at Zane’s wrist. The last sound is a sharp gasp, followed by the sickly _crunch_ of bone hitting solid steel and Cole’s nose splitting open. Zane’s eyes grew wild, his optics seeming to glow brighter as his shoulders pulled, head tilted down as he reeled back again, attempting to slam the other's face back down again.

The earth ninja's hands shot up, grabbing the edge of the beam, elbows locking as the two strained against each other. Tears began to stream down Cole's face, mingling with the spatters of crimson that ran down his face. The two attempted to force each other back either which way, Zane's mechanics whirring as they desperately tried to force back, to just... get this over with. 

**"Zane, please! You don't have to do this, I want to help! Whatever it is!"**

For a moment, but only a moment, Zane's mechanisms halted, but before Cole could even think to react, the ice ninja's foot came up and struck the other harshly in the leg. Cole _howled_ , a disgusting, ugly sound that Zane had never heard him produce before, in conjunction with the snap of bone as his leg easily broke under the android's strength. That gave Zane his edge. The moment the other's grip let up, he pulled back once more, this time for real, and the other ninja's face met harshly again with already bloodied steel. 

Unable to regain his grasp, Cole pawed uselessly at the beam, at Zane's wrists, every attempt he made to recover more and more useless as he was beaten into the steel, over, and over, and over, the ice ninja relentless in his efforts. Impact after impact sent his mind further scattering, before eventually, his body fell limp.

Crimson had sprayed up and stained the nindroid’s white gi, and he couldn’t… He couldn’t stop staring at it. The blood. The sight of his ex-friends face completely broken and battered. His free hand lifted, fingers running over Cole’s bloodied cheek, smearing red across them. It was then both hands came up, cupping the other’s face, his touch so deceivingly gossamer across his dark skin. Zane's lips turned up in a smile, though, a soft laugh bubbling up in his chest. He couldn't help it! Oh, the sight was so… so much to take in! He'd never seen so much blood before, and he was almost… reveling in the feeling of it running over his fingers, the warmth trickling down his arms.

There’s a moment where Zane felt… jealous, almost. Jealous that Cole had the luxury of bleeding. Of _dying_ . But that was just it. A moment. **There was so much more work to do.**

* * *

Shaky steps carried Jay through the desolate landscape of the Mega Monster Amusement Park, his fingers glancing over the siding of a building as he carefully turned a corner.

Whatever was supposed to be here, he _hated_ the idea of being alone with it.

The sound of footsteps that weren’t his own sound behind him, and the lightning ninja quickly whips around, only to face the darkness. This place had to be messing with him. There wasn’t anything here. It was just him and the black of night.

It’s there again, though. The sound of footsteps, something moving. Jay tensed, fingers tightening around his nunchucks, turning harshly to face the direction of the sound. Nothing again. Carefully, he began to shuffle towards it, biting his lip harshly under the cover of his face mask, desperately trying to cling onto what little was left of his composure.

Jay tries to drop into a ready position, prepared to face whatever it was that was out there, before he was hit by a sharp blow to the middle of his back that threw him forward into the dust.

The lightning ninja flailed a bit on the ground, rolling over and looking up to see just what had hit him. Horrified, his eyes met with two bright blue optics that glowed faintly in the dark.

**“Z… Zane? H-hey, buddy! What, ah… what are you doing here?”** The statement was followed by a short, nervous laugh from the smaller ninja, and he started to shuffle back away from the android.

**“Do me a favor, Jay. Stay down.”** Zane spoke calmly, so sure of himself, his footsteps slow as they pulled him closer to the other.

At that, Jay immediately scrambled to his feet, clutching his weapon even tighter as Zane approached.

**“C’mon, Zane! There’s no reason we can’t, y’know, talk this out or something, man! We’re friends, r-right?”**

**“I sense that you are nervous. Though, I regret to inform you that this must be done.”**

Fear spilled over, though Jay held fast to his position. Zane lunged forward, winding back to throw a punch as square in the center of the other ninja’s face as he could. Knowing he couldn’t counter that easy, Jay used his smaller stature to duck under the nindroid’s fist, sweeping with his foot to try and knock him off balance.

Zane nearly fell backwards, stumbling as he tried to compensate. Jay quickly followed up with a swing from his nunchucks, hitting the other in the side of the face about as hard as he could, which created a split in the android’s face that ran up from his chin to just below his right eye.

**“I don’t want to fight you, Zane! Please! I can help, you just have to tell me what’s going on!”**

The ice ninja steadied himself, his limbs hanging a bit loosely as he stared the other down, lifting a hand to pinch together the skin of his face that split from the impact. **“I’m sorry, Jay, but this must be done. It’s the only way.”**

Lowering his hand, Zane’s skin seemed to have stitched itself back together on its own. There’s almost no hesitation before he back to throwing punches, though, Jay sliding back and moving to dodge.

The smaller ninja retaliated with another strike from his weapon, though Zane was faster, snapping his hand up to catch the other side of the nunchuck before they could make contact, ripping them out of his grasp and throwing them to the wayside.

Jay watched them slide away across the ground, fear in full bloom in his eyes, as he knew he would never be able to find an opening to get them. His gaze snapped back to the ice ninja that loomed over him, still shifting back slowly trying to find his opportunity to hit back.

Zane moved in to grab the other, which Jay used to slip under him, swinging his fist up to crash against the ice ninja’s chest, forcing him to stagger back a bit. The smaller boy, still staring wide-eyed, quickly followed up by trying to kick Zane’s leg out from under him, though the second he made contact, the nindroid’s leg locked and held him firmly in place.

There was a blur and Jay tried to pull away, but Zane grabbed fast to the other’s ankle, pulling harshly and causing him to fall backwards.

Jay caught himself on the way down, kicking his foot free and pushing off to spring back up, only to have to swiftly duck out of the way of another punch. The android was relentless, herding Jay ever backwards, trying to land a solid hit.

Finally, finally, Zane lands a blow on the s _ssslimy little bastard_ , driving his fist into Jay’s chest, causing him to reel back and howl in pain at the sickening _crunch_ that sounded.

Still standing, though, the lightning ninja clutched at his chest, doubling over and coughing up blood. He tried to shuffle back, but he was stopped as he bumped up against the chain link fence that skirted the area. Glancing up, he debated the possibility of escape, but upon inspection, the loops of barbed wire that lined the top would’ve proven difficult.

**“I won’t… I** **_can’t_ ** **let you win, Zane!”**

The nindroid tilted his head slightly, a soft smile tugging at his lips. His own optics flickered to follow Jay’s gaze, and the noted a spot where the barbed wire wasn’t connected, the loose end dangling down a bit. **“My friend, I’m afraid I already have.”**

Zane pushed up off the ground, leaping towards Jay, and the lightning ninja swiftly dodged, though it became clear very quickly that was not was Zane was aiming at.

His fingers held tight to the length of barbed wire, yanking it down and effortlessly snapping off a length. Jay took the opportunity to book it, running as fast as he could in the time it took Zane to do that, hoping he could get away for long enough.

It wasn’t enough. As he ran, he quickly realized how badly he’d been hurt, clutching his chest and wheezing, spitting up globs of crimson. _Fuck,_ his ribs were broken way worse than he had thought. The ice ninja was easily able to catch up with him, and there was nothing Jay could do. A swift blow to the side of the head, and he was sprawled out on the ground.

Looking up at the other, Jay couldn’t help the tears as they welled up in his eyes. Looking at Zane, at his _friend_ , he… almost didn’t recognize him. The look in the android’s eyes was cold and unforgiving, as if he was simply following some sort of unconscious urge. This was not his friend.

Jay laughed nervously, coughing again as he tried to shuffle back once more, before Zane knelt down, pressing one of his knees into the other ninja’s chest as he did so. The lightning ninja threw his head back, letting out a pained noise that faded into nervous laughter. **“H-hey! Are you sure this isn’t up for negotiation? I mean… outta all the ways to go, I was thinking more like… heroic and all, y’know?”**

The nindroid didn’t hesitate. He never did. He leaned in, dangerously close to the other’s face, taking the length of barbed wire and looping it around Jay’s neck. Slowly, almost softly, Zane began to pull on each end, allowing the barbs to begin to dig in and puncture his skin.

**“Zane! Zane, c’mon! Snap out of it!”**

Tighter. Tighter. Zane’s head tilted slightly to one side, optics wide and almost wild as they watched metal raze soft flesh, crimson beading up and oozing out from around it. Jay’s hands flew up, scrambling to try and pull the wire off from around his throat, slicing his hands in the panic and covering them with blood.

**“Zane, please! Please stop!”** Tears began to spill over as the lightning ninja struggled, before all he could do was gasp and gag. Desperate fingers clawed at the android’s chest and arms, smearing red into the white fabric.

_Quiet. Be_ **_quiet._ ** _Stop screaming for once in your life._

The ice ninja forced the wire tighter, tighter, tighter still. A soft, faint smile played across his lips, watching the blood begin to pool in the back of Jay’s mouth, gargling as he tried to cough and spit it out before he started choking. Zane’s knee began to press into the other’s chest, forcing the break in his ribs further apart, digging them further into his already struggling lungs. His grip tightened still, uncaring of the razors slicing into his own skin, the actuators and servos in his arms beginning to buzz as they strained to force it even tighter, not satisfied with simply choking him to death.

All Jay could do was convulse under the nindroid, unable to even attempt to claw himself free, his eyes wild and unfocused as he choked to death on his own blood in conjunction with the strangulation. There was a tipping point where he started fading fast, and Zane could see it. He pressed his face close to the other ninja’s, and spoke softly.

**“Three little ninja, not sure what to do  
** **The first one met steel, which never would heal  
** **He bid them ado  
** **And then there were two  
** **The second choked on his blood, and died in the mud  
** **When he was done  
** **Then there was** **_one_ ** **.”**

Zane gave one, final yank of either end of the length of barbed wire, pulling it with every ounce of force he could possibly put into it.

The wire pulled shut, then straightened as it sliced through vertebrae, separating Jay’s head from his shoulders in a messy spray of blood and gore that painted the ground and splattered across both of them.

The nindroid scanned over every inch of the gruesome scene, before his gaze fell to rest on the contorted, horrible expression plastered in death across Jay’s face. His hands shook as he dropped the length of wire, before his fingers slid back through the other ninja’s hair, smearing crimson through it as he gripped to it, carefully lifting the disembodied head to meet its cold, blank gaze.

**“And then there was** **_o n e_ ** **.”**

* * *

The grass peeled up from the soft mud as one solid blow landed square in the middle of Zane’s chest and shoved him backwards.

He hissed, reeling back a bit, before his heels met with the edge of the cliff. The nindroid glanced backwards, taking in as much of what was at the bottom as he could before snapping his gaze quickly back to Kai.

**“That’s far enough, Zane. I won’t let you win this.”**

**“** **_‘Let me?’_ ** **Let me win? Who said anything about ‘letting me’ win? The others were fine with letting me win.”**

Kai’s shoulders pulled, and through the haze of the night, Zane could see his eyes start to well with tears. His fists clenched, and fire sprung up and engulfed them.

**“Just… talk to me, please. I don’t want to hurt you.”**

**“How… unfortunate.”**

Zane quickly snapped one of the shuriken from his belt, planting his feet and sending it flying towards the other. Kai jumped to the side, the weapon zipping by his head, stunned for a moment but able to quickly steel himself.

His feet carried him, though unwillingly, as Kai readied another punch to send his friend off the side, in hope to end it. End this. End all of this. He hated it, hated every second, every single instant he lived in this moment. This was Zane in front of him. This was still Zane. It always will be. His brother, his best friend, and yet…

It was somehow not Zane. Someone, something, _anything_ had to have corrupted him, manipulated him. That some _what_ is the part that scared Kai.

But it was decidedly too late. The fire ninja’s fists were at the ready, prepared to strike, hopefully just knocking him out oh God please… Then in the same instant, the whole moment felt like it flipped.

Zane’s hand gripped the front of the other ninja’s gi, and the momentum of the impact carried both of them over the edge.

Neither is sure how long it lasts, maybe thirty seconds, maybe a minute. Despite everything, the android braced himself around Kai, in attempt to absorb most of the impact as the two struck the cliff face and tumbled down to stop at the edge of the river that raged below.

Kai, though dazed, raced to try and right himself, but the effort was quickly shut down by the robotic, vice-like grip on his gi that yanked him back down.

The nindroid got up to his knees, forcing Kai down to his, despite his efforts to claw at Zane’s wrist.

**“Zane, please– You don’t have to do this.** **_Please–_ ** **”**

Zane’s shoulders tightened with an audible mechanical buzzing, his teeth gritting as he yanked on the other’s front and pulled him down into the mud. It was then he shifted, his right hand moving up to secure its grip on the back of Kai’s head, the other hand grabbing the other ninja’s wrist and twisting his arm behind his back.

His knee pressed into Kai’s back, harder and harder, and he pushed the other further down the bank of the river until his face was above the water.

**“Forgive me, brother.”**

His grip tightened, and there was a moment of slight, noticeable hesitation, before Zane shoved Kai’s head below the surface of the water.

The next few minutes were almost… tangible. Like they were real, living things that Zane could _feel_. Kai’s free hand moved up, clawing at the other ninja’s arm, desperate, struggling. His entire body wrenched and twisted, trying to fight off the android’s hold, desperate and hoping. Hoping Zane would let go. Hoping he would realize. Hoping for… anything.

It felt like it dragged on for hours. Zane’s grip tightened further, and further, his shoulders tensing as he just. Pushed. Harder. He wanted this to end. Wanted to stop living in this moment of watching the air in Kai’s lungs get slowly replaced by water, watching him claw and flail and try to yell and plead.

Every. Moment. Was. Hell.

Zane wasn’t counting how long it took. He didn’t want to. Kai’s movements began to still, though his body shook harder than ever, his frame rattled, desperate for air, trying to cough out the water in his lungs only to have it instantly replaced. He wasn’t counting. Slowly, the android’s grip let up, and he grabbed the back of Kai’s gi and hoisted his motionless body from the water and off to the side.

He felt like he should be sad, but… despite staring down at the corpse of his friend, Zane couldn’t help but… laugh! This was it! This was what he was waiting for! He really, truly did it.

The age of the ninja was over.


End file.
